Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1887-12-02
Educational department.
The New Education.
by G. E. MELENEY, sUPr. OF SCHOOLS,
PATTERSON, N. J.

The principles on which the "New
Education" is based, have been derived
from the old masters. Each one has
left to posterity some great principle
which has entered into the foundation
of our present system. The recent re-
vival of education Is due to the energy
of thoughtful teachers who have
brought to light the old truths of
masters, and have faithfully put into
practice what others had been preach
ing about.
The object of an education in its
highest conception, is the development
of character.
In order to bring child to the reali-
cation of the highest human possibili-
ties, we must educate him with others,
and not by himself, that his relation to
society may be appreciated. The hu-
man character is not perfect unless il
Illuminated by conception of his rela-
ton to God, the duty of obedience and
the subordination of the human will to
the Divine.
The forces which affect the character
OF the rising generation are the family,
which acts upon the will; the school,
which works upon the intellect; and
the Church, which excites the moral
and religious feelings, all acting indie
penGently. 1t is the province of the
schools to unite the forces and broaden.
its work, to accomplish the perfect de-
velopment of the three side nature of
the child.
For the schools to accomplish SO
great work it is important that tie
conditions be favorable: list. TIE
comfort and sanitary conditions need
the supervision of competent author
ity-ike the Board of Health. ID.
The teachers must know the child
physically and physchologicallJ; they
must know what material to use for the
proper development and the methods
to be employed. The Board of Educa-
ton must also know what the teacher
is required to know, because they pre-
scribe the course of training and Or
ganize the schools.
For purposes of education, school
children may be classified as in ill.,
fancy from birth to the eighth year;
childhood from eighth to fourteenth:
youth from fourteenth to twentieth.
The work OF our primary schools be-
longs to the period of childhood. and
should not be begun till the eight tn
year. We make big mistake by put
ting children of five years of age at
that work. The State ackno, Wedges
the right to educate children in the in
fancy period by taking them. at five
years Of age. The legal age of school
children should begin at four, and the
State should provide suitab lie schools
preparatory to our primary schools.
There should be better. classical
ton of children, accord .ng to their
bodily and mental powers many have
infirmities which dem and special
teaching. There is nee Il of medical
inspector or superinten dent to make
such classification and to enforce
proper sanitary regulations. Such ar
officer could dispense liygenic informa-
ton, of which the public is much in
need.
After all the cond itions of the school
are favorable, educ ntors must look to
Froebel for the pr nciples which should
guide us in that education which is to
develope human character not only in
the school of infancy, but throughout
all grades, for lie, more than any other
great teacher, excepting the great
Teacher appreciated the proper adap-
tation of means to the condition of the
child to be educated.